AN
ACT Relating to industrial developments; amending RCW 36.70A.367; and creating
a new section.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. The
legislature finds that to fulfill the economic development goal of this
chapter, it is beneficial to expand the limited authorization for pilot
projects for identifying locations for major industrial activity in advance of
specific proposals by an applicant. The legislature further finds that land
bank availability may provide economically disadvantaged counties the
opportunity to attract new industrial activity by offering expeditious siting
and therefore promote a community's economic health and vitality. The purpose
of this act is to authorize and evaluate additional pilot projects for major
industrial activity in economically disadvantaged counties.
Sec.
2. RCW
36.70A.367 and 1997 c 402 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
In addition to the major industrial development allowed under RCW 36.70A.365, a
county required or choosing to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 that ((has a
population greater than two hundred fifty thousand and that is part of a
metropolitan area that includes a city in another state with a population
greater than two hundred fifty thousand or a county that has a population
greater than one hundred forty thousand and is adjacent to another country))
meets the criteria in subsection (9) of this section may establish, in
consultation with cities consistent with provisions of RCW 36.70A.210, a
process for designating a bank of no more than two master planned locations for
major industrial activity outside urban growth areas.
(2)
A master planned location for major industrial developments outside an urban
growth area may be included in the urban industrial land bank for the county if
criteria including, but not limited to, the following are met:
(a)
New infrastructure is provided for and/or applicable impact fees are paid;
(b)
Transit-oriented site planning and traffic demand management programs are
implemented;
(c)
Buffers are provided between the major industrial development and adjacent
nonurban areas;
(d)
Environmental protection including air and water quality has been addressed and
provided for;
(e)
Development regulations are established to ensure that urban growth will not
occur in adjacent nonurban areas;
(f)
Provision is made to mitigate adverse impacts on designated agricultural lands,
forest lands, and mineral resource lands;
(g)
The plan for the major industrial development is consistent with the county's
development regulations established for protection of critical areas; and
(h)
An inventory of developable land has been conducted as provided in RCW
36.70A.365.
(3)
In selecting master planned locations for inclusion in the urban industrial
land bank, priority shall be given to locations that are adjacent to, or in
close proximity to, an urban growth area.
(4)
Final approval of inclusion of a master planned location in the urban
industrial land bank shall be considered an adopted amendment to the
comprehensive plan adopted pursuant to RCW 36.70A.070, except that RCW
36.70A.130(2) does not apply so that inclusion or exclusion of master planned
locations may be considered at any time.
(5)
Once a master planned location has been included in the urban industrial land
bank, manufacturing and industrial businesses that qualify as major industrial
development under RCW 36.70A.365 may be located there.
(6)
Nothing in this section may be construed to alter the requirements for a county
to comply with chapter 43.21C RCW.
(7)
The authority of a county to engage in the process of including or excluding
master planned locations from the urban industrial land bank shall terminate on
December 31, ((1998)) 1999. However, any location included in
the urban industrial land bank on December 31, ((1998)) 1999,
shall remain available for major industrial development as long as the criteria
of subsection (2) of this section continue to be met.
(8)
For the purposes of this section, "major industrial development"
means a master planned location suitable for manufacturing or industrial
businesses that: (a) Requires a parcel of land so large that no suitable
parcels are available within an urban growth area; or (b) is a natural
resource-based industry requiring a location near agricultural land, forest
land, or mineral resource land upon which it is dependent; or (c) requires a
location with characteristics such as proximity to transportation facilities or
related industries such that there is no suitable location in an urban growth
area. The major industrial development may not be for the purpose of retail
commercial development or multitenant office parks.
(9)
This section applies to a county that at the time the process is established
under subsection (1) of this section:
(a)
Has a population greater than two hundred fifty thousand and is part of a
metropolitan area that includes a city in another state with a population
greater than two hundred fifty thousand;
(b)
Has a population greater than one hundred forty thousand and is adjacent to
another country; or
(c)
Has a population greater than forty thousand but less than seventy-five
thousand and has an average level of unemployment for the preceding three years
that exceeds the average state unemployment for those years by twenty percent;
and
(i)
Is bordered by the Pacific Ocean; or
(ii)
Is located in the Interstate 5 or Interstate 90 corridor.
